Anandron

ANANDRON®(Nilutamide)

Information in this fact sheet is meant to assist you in making decisions about your treatment. Always make medication decisions in consultation with your healthcare team.

What is Anandron® used for?

Anandron® is a medicine for treating prostate cancer in men. It contains the active ingredient nilutamide. Anandron® belongs to a family of medicines called non-steroidal anti-androgens. These medicines work by blocking the effect of androgen hormones that are naturally produced by your body. Prostate cancer cells are dependent on these hormones, and blocking their effect is intended to stop the growth of the cancer.

Anandron® is more effective when used at the same time as other medicines known generally as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists or, alternatively, following surgery designed to treat prostate cancer.

Your doctor may have prescribed Anandron® for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Anandron® has been prescribed for you. Anandron® is available only with a doctor's prescription. Before using them, discuss any other drugs you may be taking or if you intend to use complimentary medicines. It is difficult to predict how long Anandron will be effective for any given individual.

What does Anandron® look like?

Anandron® 150 mg tablets are white to off-white tablets, marked with 168D on one side and RU on the reverse. They come in packs of 30 tablets.

How is Anandron® given?

Carefully follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist. These directions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

The usual dosage of Anandron® is one tablet twice daily (or two tablets once daily) for the first four weeks and then one tablet once daily thereafter. If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

You should swallow each tablet whole with some water. Do not chew them. You can take Anandron® with or without food. If you forget to take your dose and it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablets as you would have normally. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.

If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not take Anandron® for longer than your doctor says. If you are not sure how long to take Anandron®, ask your doctor.

What are the common side effects?

Anandron® helps most people with prostate cancer, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines may cause side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment for some of the side effects of Anandron®.

Most side effects caused by Anandron® happen early in the course of treatment and usually lessen after four weeks when the dose is normally reduced to one tablet daily.

The most common side effect affects the eyes and makes it difficult to adapt to darkness. This problem is almost always temporary and may be improved by wearing tinted glasses (e.g. sunglasses). Until your eyes get used to darkness, you should not drive at night or through tunnels or in bright light.

Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects that concern you:

nausea or vomiting

difficulty adapting to changes in light

decreased libido

dizziness.

Your doctor may be able to adjust your treatment or give you advice to make these side effects less troublesome.

What are the less common side effects?

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have including questions about how other drugs you might taking affect Anandron.

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist immediately if you experience any of the following:

shortness of breath

swelling of the face, lips, tongue

signs of allergy such as a rash, itching or hives on the skin

fainting.

You may need urgent medical attention for these rare serious side effects.

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients, so you should tell your doctor if you feel unwell while taking Anandron®.

Reference

Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia develops materials based on best available evidence and takes advice from recognised experts in the field in developing such resource; however it cannot guarantee and assumes no legal responsibility for the currency or completeness of the information.